Are You Ever Yourself?

I have been thinking about this quite a lot recently when reflecting on everything that has happened as I get ready to move onto the next stage in my life. In society we are always told just to be ourselves and nothing else mattered but then at the time does society allow us to be ourselves?

I have just chosen the academic subjects that I want to carry forward and this decision took me a long time and I am still unsure of my decision. I was told to pick things that I enjoy and things that will make be happy. But, the things that make me happy don’t make the people surrounding me happy so then that makes me unhappy. So will I ever be myself and follow the path I want if it’s making others unhappy. I was told to choose options that define me but I think my options define my family more than me individually.

I think, especially as a young person, society expects so much from us and encourages us to be ourselves but as soon as you are not doing the same as others or are expressing your individuality that is not okay. It is so hard to get the balance and even though everyone is trying to be ourselves, we all want to ‘fit in’ but how do you fit in? Who sets the norms of society that we should all conform to? Who said that being yourself isn’t the norm? I feel like the messages society attempts to give people are so blurred.

I know so many people who have passion and love for things but they never express it openly because that wouldn’t be considered a norm but surely by expressing it they would be being themselves. I know I definitely have things myself that I talk about on Twitter and on my Blog but I never talk to people about outside of social media because it would not be considered ‘normal’. We are told to express our interests and to be passionate about the things we love but if these things are not seen as the norm we are judged or looked at differently. I think the expression and passion of things an individual loves should be admired by others not judged.

I just feel like it is a false sense of security; we think we are being ourselves but actually we are constantly conforming to society’s norms and what is expected from us. I think it is so important to express your love for the things you are passionate about and be proud of the person you are. People may judge you at first but keep doing it, just keep being the person you want to be. Don’t be scared.

As a challenge, comment down below one thing you are passionate about or one thing that you love and talk to each other if you find something in common.

I’m passionate about English and the way words work and I’m obsessed with Casualty and a lot of TV shows. Your turn, leave a comment.